mounteverest
OzCardTrader
Horses for courses Lyon in and Watson in
The Australian cricket non-official thread!
- Thread starter Matty76
- Start date
The Mad Hatter
OzCardTrader
Yeah. Edited post and updated it.
A pretty disappointing day for Australia yesterday I reckon, on a pitch which admittedly is "Brazilian" in nature! 
That's nine pitches in a row by my counting (2 vs Pakistan in the UAE, 4 at home vs India, 2 vs West Indies away and now this one at Cardiff) that Australia have played on which have been specifically batsman-friendly. I think I heard one of the commentators (I think it was Bumble) describe the manner in which this particular pitch was almost manicured within an inch of its life. I nearly fell asleep in the first session!!
Massive day tomorrow, hopefully Australia can knock the last three over quickly and then get to work with the bat.
That's nine pitches in a row by my counting (2 vs Pakistan in the UAE, 4 at home vs India, 2 vs West Indies away and now this one at Cardiff) that Australia have played on which have been specifically batsman-friendly. I think I heard one of the commentators (I think it was Bumble) describe the manner in which this particular pitch was almost manicured within an inch of its life. I nearly fell asleep in the first session!!
Massive day tomorrow, hopefully Australia can knock the last three over quickly and then get to work with the bat.
mounteverest
OzCardTrader
If Haddin had taken that catch with Root on 0 things I think would have been a lot different at 4-41,
That old saying rings true "catches win matches and it was a pretty straight forward catch for a wicketkeeper to take let alone a international keeper,having said that I hope Aus picks up the three wickets quickly in the morning(evening here)
That old saying rings true "catches win matches and it was a pretty straight forward catch for a wicketkeeper to take let alone a international keeper,having said that I hope Aus picks up the three wickets quickly in the morning(evening here)
Yep, there's no comeback from this deficit I'm afraid. Even if England are rolled for 100, you'd back their accuracy and discipline to defend anything over 200 unless Warner explodes.
It has been amazing to watch the marked difference between England and Australia so far, particularly in the bowling department. Incidentally, Jimmy Anderson has now passed Curtly Ambrose on the Test wicket takers list.
Wookiedragon
OzCardTrader
Agree 100% Matt.
Just sent a mate a text with exact message. Anything near 100 for England in this second innings will be very hard to get.
This pitch is terrible. MASSIVE toss to win for England and unfortunatelly the Haddin drop has cost us big time.....
Just sent a mate a text with exact message. Anything near 100 for England in this second innings will be very hard to get.
This pitch is terrible. MASSIVE toss to win for England and unfortunatelly the Haddin drop has cost us big time.....
mounteverest
OzCardTrader
Yeah that Haddin dropped catch on the first day has cost us dearly at 4-41 we would have rolled them for less than 150 and another interesting poser is Watson in team as all rounder but has bowled very little,maybe if he doesn't make some runs in second innings we could have seen the last of Watson in test cricket,also if Starc dosn't come up for the second test which starts three days after this one,do you think they will hand the spot to Siddle or play Cummings who I think hasn't played any long form cricket for a couple of years( I would like to see Siddle get to 200 wickets) he was our workhorse and strike bowler before some of our young bowlers matured,having said that GO AUSSIES we just need Rodgers to dig in and Warner and Smith and Clarke to play there natural games and you just never know!!!
I think (albeit on the evidence of one Test) that we now see the true value of Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle. Losing Harris pre-series was massive and I agree that Siddle should come in if Mitchell Starc's ankle doesn't come up.
There is talk today on cricinfo and other sites that Mitch Marsh (for Watson) and Peter Nevill (for Haddin) may be ushered in to the team if we lose at Cardiff but it would be a panicky move to have three changes (assuming Starc isn't fit) with four Tests still to play.
England have been tremendous in all departments although it must be said that at 3/43 and 3/73 Australia had chances to crash through in both innings. England's slips catching has improved out of sight, I thought Joe Root's catch to end our innings was a beauty!
There is talk today on cricinfo and other sites that Mitch Marsh (for Watson) and Peter Nevill (for Haddin) may be ushered in to the team if we lose at Cardiff but it would be a panicky move to have three changes (assuming Starc isn't fit) with four Tests still to play.
England have been tremendous in all departments although it must be said that at 3/43 and 3/73 Australia had chances to crash through in both innings. England's slips catching has improved out of sight, I thought Joe Root's catch to end our innings was a beauty!
Playing a few soft test matches against WI didn't help our preparation I don't believe. Siddle should've been played the first test and I would like Watson and Haddin to have another test. I don't believe dropping players after the first test is great morale overall.
@Matty76 Who would you take Andersen or Sir Curtly, I would take Curtly day in day out.
@Matty76 Who would you take Andersen or Sir Curtly, I would take Curtly day in day out.
Curtly in a heartbeat mate. His record against all countries (bar India) was outstanding.
Aus: 128 wickets @ 21.23
Eng: 164 wickets @ 18.79
India: 15 wickets @ 38.26
NZ: 13 wickets @ 21.30
Pak: 42 wickets @ 27.85
SAF: 21 wickets @ 18.57
SL: 14 wickets @ 13.57
Zim: 8 wickets @ 12.50
405 wickets @ 20.99
Aus: 128 wickets @ 21.23
Eng: 164 wickets @ 18.79
India: 15 wickets @ 38.26
NZ: 13 wickets @ 21.30
Pak: 42 wickets @ 27.85
SAF: 21 wickets @ 18.57
SL: 14 wickets @ 13.57
Zim: 8 wickets @ 12.50
405 wickets @ 20.99
mounteverest
OzCardTrader
Couldn't agree more that bounce of a good length troubled some of the best batsman going around during his outstanding career
Eek! Well, that certainly didn't go to script. It will be interesting to see whether the selectors hold their nerve much longer regarding the positions of Watson and Haddin in the Test team. I do hope that Adam Voges is persisted with, as I have read some ridiculous views that he should be dropped.
We need to cast our minds back to 1997, when Australia were 1-0 after two Tests and then completed a 3-2 series win against the Old Enemy. It is for this reason that Lord's is THE crucial Test of the tour. Defeat for Australia there could almost usher in a reverse of our 5-0 home win eighteen months ago. A win or draw keeps our hopes, the series and the Ashes alive.
There is something to be said about the way Alastair Cook conducts himself on the field and in public and he looks to have become a smarter, more proactive captain. He caught brilliantly as well!
I would love everyone's thoughts!
We need to cast our minds back to 1997, when Australia were 1-0 after two Tests and then completed a 3-2 series win against the Old Enemy. It is for this reason that Lord's is THE crucial Test of the tour. Defeat for Australia there could almost usher in a reverse of our 5-0 home win eighteen months ago. A win or draw keeps our hopes, the series and the Ashes alive.
There is something to be said about the way Alastair Cook conducts himself on the field and in public and he looks to have become a smarter, more proactive captain. He caught brilliantly as well!
I would love everyone's thoughts!
mounteverest
OzCardTrader
Hey Matt I think you hit the nail on the head and if starc dosn't come up Siddle in,to much of a risk to play Cummings
Shane Watson has been dropped for the Lord's Test and has been replaced by Mitchell Marsh.
I just don't know what to think about Watto - it's a bit "chicken and egg" with him I reckon. From what I have seen and heard from him, he appears to be a very deep thinker, as well as being extremely self-critical. I guess he can never be accused of not caring about his performance. I wonder sometimes if the selectors tried to turn him into something his body won't allow him to be.
As I mentioned to a site member elsewhere, dreams of a "125 not out and 5/50" Botham-esque performance were never going to be a regular feature of Shane's Test career. He was never able to settle on a niche position, which you can see by the following:
Opener: 52 innings
No. 3: 27 innings
No. 4: 9 innings
No. 5: 1 innings
No. 6: 14 innings
No. 7: 6 innings
I would love to hear your opinions on Watto.
On another matter, a magnificent piece by Greg Baum on the beleaguered Brad Haddin:
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cric...-haddin-the-wicketkeeper-20150714-gicg56.html
I just don't know what to think about Watto - it's a bit "chicken and egg" with him I reckon. From what I have seen and heard from him, he appears to be a very deep thinker, as well as being extremely self-critical. I guess he can never be accused of not caring about his performance. I wonder sometimes if the selectors tried to turn him into something his body won't allow him to be.
As I mentioned to a site member elsewhere, dreams of a "125 not out and 5/50" Botham-esque performance were never going to be a regular feature of Shane's Test career. He was never able to settle on a niche position, which you can see by the following:
Opener: 52 innings
No. 3: 27 innings
No. 4: 9 innings
No. 5: 1 innings
No. 6: 14 innings
No. 7: 6 innings
I would love to hear your opinions on Watto.
On another matter, a magnificent piece by Greg Baum on the beleaguered Brad Haddin:
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cric...-haddin-the-wicketkeeper-20150714-gicg56.html
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